We have bought a Quechua Base Seconds 4.2 as a weekend tent and as it has no porch to use as a kitchen we have bought a tarp with two poles and a windbreak. We are not sure of the best way to set this up. Should we get two more poles? Another windbreak? Advice or photos of set-ups would be very welcome
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Quote: Originally posted by wiggletastic on 13/5/2010
Excellent guys, thanks very much that is just what I was looking for. Where would I get adjustable poles from?
King poles are usually sectional so you just take a section out. If you want shorter adjustable poles it's traditional to use your walking /randoneering poles, which adjust a lot. It used to be that you would rig up a cooking shelter from your walking poles and your waterproof poncho when you were backpacking!
There are walking poles in Aldi or Lidl atm btw.
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Tried this last year with tarp and windbreak, hooked the tarp eyelets over the top of the windbreak poles... I'll be honest it didn't work out as well as i hoped, also BEWARE of the guide lines... There are alot!!!
I have just remembered, I think we have two poles for propping up the front entrance of our Vango which I could probably use? We have never used them on the Vango as we always use the side door but could be worth looking them out and giving them a try.
Yup - sounds a good plan. Save having to buy more and you're 'multi-tasking' your kit too. The tarp might come with a couple of poles as well: the Quechua one does for sure.
We're planning on using a tarp with our B&B tent in the same way - so good luck with yours!
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Last time I was away in the tent, I used the king poles that I usually prop the door open with and 2 adjustable walking poles together with just a normal tarp from Aldi. A few guy ropes and it was job done. Perfect for cooking under, but I did take it down each night as the noise from the tarp as the wind caught it drove me mad when I was trying to sleep.
Quote: Originally posted by wiggletastic on 13/5/2010
Excellent guys, thanks very much that is just what I was looking for. Where would I get adjustable poles from?
Most camping shops sell extra poles, I have some steel ones that I paid £7 each for & some ally ones that were £10 each, all are about 1.2m & extend to about 2m.
If you want some fixed hight poles it's sometimes worth looking at tarps that come with poles, I bought a couple of tarps 2 years ago (£19 each) that came with 4 good quality sectional 1.6m ally poles, a bargain at the time as I got 2 tarps & 8 poles for less than £40. I now use these along with adjustables for holding up all my tarps.
We use the king poles from the tent and an extra one/two from an old tent to hold up our Vango Adventure Tarp - either on the front of the tent or standalone. Just take out sections and/or arrange according to height to get the desired effect. We also have two sets of guyropes - longer and shorter. We have put loops in the top of each and just use the relevant ones accordingly by threading them back through themselves and pulling tight after feeding through the fabric loops on the tarp. A quick method that saves tying and untying guy ropes.
Quote: Originally posted by wiggletastic on 13/5/2010
I have just remembered, I think we have two poles for propping up the front entrance of our Vango which I could probably use? We have never used them on the Vango as we always use the side door but could be worth looking them out and giving them a try.
A king pole is a king pole, so your Vango ones will be exactly what you need or would be going to buy new in the shops anyway.